Detroit Tigers' Gerald Laird leaves game with left knee sprain, will be re-evaluated Saturday

AP PhotoDetroit Tigers catcher Gerald Laird hangs onto the ball as he hits the dirt after colliding with first baseman Donny Kelly while chasing a foul by Baltimore Orioles Jai Miller in the second inning of a spring training game in Sarasota, Fla. on Friday. (AP Photo)

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Detroit Tigers backup catcher Gerald Laird left Friday's game with a left knee sprain in the second inning of Detroit's 6-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

He will be further evaluated on a day-to-day basis, a team official said.

The injury occurred after he collided with first baseman Don Kelly while attempting to catch Jai Miller’s pop-up in foul territory.

Laird made the catch, but tumbled to the ground and rolled to his stomach, clutching his knee in pain. He was tended to by Tigers head athletic trainer Kevin Rand and Leyland.

Both Laird and Kelly said they called for the catch.

"I don't think he heard me," Laird said. "I’m not mad at him."

Leyland blamed miscommunication on the injury and said the team will practice drills Monday in an effort to avoid similar issues from happening.

"We've worked on it, and we’ll be working on it Monday," Leyland said. "You're supposed to yell out three times, 'I got it, I got it, I got it.'

"That’s about two or three times that’s happened this spring."

Laird said he was removed for precautionary reasons, but immediately feared the worst.

"The initial contact is what scared me the most," Laird said. "I felt my cleat come out of the grass, which made me happy knowing that it didn’t get caught."

Laird was unable to walk off the field under his own power and required the help of Rand and minor league infielder Brandon Douglas to exit.

"I was more nervous than anything," Laird said. "After a while, I started to get the feeling back in my knee."

Without Alex Avila making the trip to Sarasota, minor leaguer James McCann replaced Laird at catcher. The Tigers signed Laird last November to a one-year contract with the intention of him backing up Avila.

It's unclear how much time he will miss, but Laird confirmed he will be ready by Opening Day.

Laird’s injury comes on the same day the club reassigned catcher Omir Santos to minor league camp. The club can recall Santos, but would need to place him on the 40-man roster.

Last week, Leyland identified Brandon Inge and Kelly as his club’s two emergency catchers.